New girl
by Frackinawesomeninja
Summary: AU. Riley Matthews is new here. She used to be full of smiles but now she knows better. See if Lucas, Farkle and Maya can bring out the real Riley. Rucas. T for language, just in case.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N so this is a little something different, I hope you like it.**

Riley Matthews isn't a nice person. She used to be, but those were the good old days of middle school. Nowadays, in high school, she's an outcast, a loner. And she's happy that way. When you're alone, no one can hurt you. When you're alone, no one can break you. Riley had gotten used to being alone and sitting in the back of the class. She knows where she belongs, and that is hiding from everyone.

Riley used to have friends. She was surrounded by them, they filled her with smiles and quirkiness. After a while, Riley didn't have them anymore. For some reason or another, they all left her or she left them. Now, she stands in her bedroom, wearing black jeans and a Black Sabbath shirt with combat boots. With a flannel over top and a messy bun to complete the look, she adds a touch of eyeliner to her brown eyes and looks in the mirror. First day at a new school. Unlike most people, she isn't worried about not making friends. Just the opposite. Riley doesn't want to get attached to anyone here. Getting attached meant getting hurt. She doesn't need that today.

• • • • • •

Riley walks to school, knowing it was close enough that it wouldn't matter. When she gets there, a few obnoxious guys sitting outside whistle at the new girl. She ignores them and walks inside, looking for the front office. When she finally spots it, she walks inside to see a boy with light blond hair and bright blue eyes talking to the receptionist. He turns at the sound of the door and she pauses. She almost got lost in his eyes. Almost. Middle school Riley would have. But junior Riley is emotionless and stone-hearted. Riley knows that all that comes out of liking a guy is pain.

Riley walks up to the desk and when the receptionist sees her, she asks, "Are you new, dear?" When Riley nods, she tells her to go ahead and sit down while she finds her schedule. Pretty boy says thank you to her and leaves the office, but not before glancing back at Riley.

Finally, the woman finds Riley's schedule and hands her a school map, pointing out a route from class to class. She walks to her first period class, which was English. If there was one thing Riley loved, it was English. She loved the impossible ideas of perfect guys. While these once set her standards too high for anything realistic, they now simply let her feel happy for anyone that ever found happiness in that. Her expectations of love had plummeted with her first disaster of a relationship. So she dreamed. She dreamed of imaginary guys that would come save her from the hell she was currently living in.

When she takes an empty seat at the back of the class, she pulls out a book.

While reaching for it, she glances around and sees a girl similar to herself, though with slightly more style and confidence, and blond hair. She also notices Pretty Boy next to the girl. With them sits a boy with fluffed up hair and a dark hoodie, though she guesses he's a lot nicer than he looks, judging by the smile on his face. While she has learned in her time that looks can be deceiving, this one looks extremely genuine.

Pretty Boy glances back at the clock and notices Riley. He smiles at her before turning back around. As Riley stares quizzically at her book, the bell rings, signaling the start of class. This is going to be a long day.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I don't really know where I'm heading with this, but I hope you guys like it so far. I know the chapters are too short but it's hard to make them much longer with so little time. Enjoy.**

By lunch, she knows she is going to hate this school. The people here are too nice, too welcoming for her tastes. She gets school lunch, knowing she won't eat most of the crap they try to pass off as food. She spots an empty table in the back corner of the cafeteria and goes to read some more. While to most, she might look sad and lonely, maybe even depressed, Riley Matthews is content or maybe even happy sitting alone. Well, as happy as Riley gets.

After she had read a chapter and had eaten all of her carrot sticks, the only edible thing on her tray (and even that was questionable), Pretty Boy, Blondie, and Genuine Smile Bad Boy come over to her table. She didn't notice them until Blondie cleared her throat. When she looks up, she says, "Hi, I'm Maya Hart. You were looking kind of lonely so we thought we would introduce ourselves."

"As thoughtful as that is, I'm fine without friends. Don't bother. And while I am technically alone, I am rarely ever lonely," she says, barely glancing at them all before going back to her book. She knows she stunned them, seeing as they've never heard her talk, and her first words to them were probably the most rude thing they had ever heard in a school like this. But she doesn't care. She doesn't need friends. She doesn't need people, or want them. They're just more trouble than they're worth.

When they realize she's not going to be saying anything else anytime soon, they walk away. She almost regrets being so rude to such nice people, but they were getting on her nerves. She realizes she still didn't know Pretty Boy or Genuine Smiles' names. Oh well. It's not like they'd be talking to her again anytime soon.

• • • • • •

At the end of the school day, on her walk home, Riley thinks over what school was going to be like. She would have 3 of her 5 classes with Pretty Boy, Genuine Smile, and Blondie/Maya. For English, they had been assigned to read the first 2 chapters of Huckleberry Finn, which she had read last year.

Riley heads up her driveway and for some unknown reason, looks to the side. When she does, she sees Pretty Boy unlocking his door two houses down. When he sees her looking, he waves. She ignores it and looks back to her door. Great. Just what she needs. More temptation to talk to people.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I'm sorry if this is a bit of a disappointment but I just really wanted to give you guys something today. I have a huge test tomorrow and I've been studying for 4 hours. If you hate it I'm sorry.**

It's Friday. Hallelujah. Riley Matthews leaves the house wearing a dark grey sweater with rips in the back over a black tank top, with black, ripped, skinny jeans, combat boots and a Harley Quinn necklace. While most people seemed to find it nerdy and weird, Riley just felt a connection with Harley. She gave up everything and literally went insane for a guy who never loved her and stabbed her in the back in the end. It's just kind of sad.

Riley is walking to school with headphones in her ears, not hearing the foot steps behind her. With her headphones in, she also doesn't hear the car that is speeding down the road. Having not heard the footsteps, she is shocked when the person belonging to them reaches out and stops her from being run over. She looks up and realized it's Pretty Boy. She mumbles a quick thanks and turns around to continue walking. She shuts off her music, a little scared now, so she hears the footsteps this time as they jog a little to catch up with her. She ignores him until he speaks, and she can't help but lol over at him.

"So I never got to properly introduce myself. I'm Lucas." She realizes the only thing she has heard him say is the thanks he said to the receptionist on her first day. He has quite a nice voice. Is that a little bit of a twang she hears?

"I'm Riley," she says, not really wanting to continue the conversation. She's never been good at talking and doesn't really want to risk getting too close to someone. She could end up just like Harley again, throwing everything away for nothing.

She keeps walking, looking down lost in her own world. She realizes Lucas said something to her. She glances up at him and he seems to understand she wasn't listening.

"I was asking why you don't want friend. I mean, everyone needs friends." He looked genuinely lost as to why I don't like people. Why is he so interested?

"I don't need friends. They've never done anything good for me before. I doubt making any here will be any different." I feel like I just told him a secret, even if I really told him nothing at all.

"Well maybe you just never found the right ones."

"Oh, and I suppose you think you're the right kind. You probably think that you would never do anything to ruin a friendship. But guess what. So did all of the rest. Everyone promised they would stay, and not one of them lived up to it. So I don't want company from you or anybody else, okay?"

After my little rant, I think I stunned him, because he is completely silent. When we get to school, I walk away from him to my locker without a word.

What a great start to the day.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: so sorry this took so long my schedules been ridiculous and I ran out of ideas and I'm just so sorry I hope this is a good chapter. Please read and review!**

It's been two weeks since Riley started school. No one has tried making friends with her after Lucas. Except for one boy. He's in her English class and her stats class. He's like her. Sits in the back. Wears lots of dark clothes. Doesn't talk.

In a way, they connected. Without saying a word to each other, they began sitting next to each other in classes. They exchanged exasperated glances when someone said something stupid. They were practically one in the same. Riley remembered his name was Charlie from their one conversation.

Today, as Riley walks into school with her black joker shirt that said "Why so serious?", her dark purple pants, and the classic combat boots, she heads to her locker with beats on. Most people would assume that she was listening to Metallica or Slipknot, but she was listening to her usual playlist, which generally contained Bastille and Imagine Dragons. She pulls out her stuff for class, goes in and sits down next to Charlie.

"Hey," Riley hears from behind her. This kind of startles her, considering no one ever talked to her. Turning, she realizes Charlie is the one that spoke.

"Hi?" She says tentatively. Why is he talking to her? She doesn't get it.

"So I know we've never really spoken before, but would you like to hang out sometime? It doesn't have to be a date, it can just be two people spending time together. We can go see a movie... or something." Riley stares at him in shock, confused. She glances around when she feels eyes on her and notices Lucas looking away as she turns.

She turns back to Charlie and on a whim that seems to come from nowhere, says, "Sure Charlie, sounds like fun." She makes sure not to say anything about the date part.

"Cool. Tomorrow?"

"Sure, whatever works." Riley decides that she might as well have a little fun while she's stuck here. The bell rings and Riley turns to face the front, taking notes on the Pythagorean theorem.

•••••••

It's Friday night and Riley hears the knock on the front door. Her parents are out tonight and she didn't tell them about her whatever it is with Charlie. She walks to the door in her black long-sleeved sweater with the lace back, dark blue jeans and, of course, you guessed it, combat boots. When she opened the door, she was met with Charlie in a leather jacket and a Guns N' Roses shirt.

"Hey Riley. Ready to go? I thought we could go see that one new horror movie." Truth be told, Riley had never been a big fan of horror movies. She would never tell anyone, but she still loves Disney movies more than anything else.

Not wanting to seem lame, she says, "Yeah, sure, whatever you want." Charlie leads her to his car and opens the door for her. Even though he is being a perfect gentleman, Riley thought there was something off in his smile.

 _What are you talking about Riley? Stop being so paranoid._

She shakes her head and smiles at him, trying not to show her dread for the movie.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: hey guys! New chapter coming at ya! Please read and review.**

When the movie starts, she feels the presence of Charlie's arm on the back of her chair. Riley decides that there's really nothing wrong with this. Friends can do that right? Right.

For the entire movie, she stares at the back of the chair in front of her, trying to ignore what was happening on screen. She's kind of failing. By the end, she's trying to hide her nausea over all of the gore.

When they go to leave the theater Charlie looks at her funny. "Are you alright? You look really pale."

"I'm fine, just really tired." Riley doesn't know what else to say. They walk out to his car and he holds the door open for her again. She gets in and puts her face against the window. The cold window.

When they get to her house, he walks her to the door. "Well, I had fun tonight Riley. We should do this again sometime." Riley is practically queasy just thinking about watching another horror movie.

Instead of saying that, she plasters a smile on her face and says, "Yeah, why not." She opens the doors and walks inside, heading straight for bed. She barely has the energy to put on pajamas, and even then she only goes so far as putting on a shirt, not even bothering to look for pajama pants. It's a good thing her parents don't wake her up anymore.

•••••

When she wakes up the next morning, she sits up and looks around, trying to figure out her pantsless state. Then she remembers he movie and the nausea begins to return. She gets up, throws on jeans and a navy sweatshirt and converse and walks outside for a walk and fresh air. Unfortunately for her, the only way to the park, where she was hoping to go to sit and read, is walking by Lucas' house. Also unfortunately for her, he is outside playing basketball with those other two.

When she walks by, looking at the sidewalk and avoiding any eye contact, Lucas calls out her name. She immediately turns on instinct but looks back down.

He runs over to her and says, "Do you want to play basketball or hang out or something with us?"

Riley, trying to end the conversation, picks up the basketball from his feet, shoots a three pointer perfectly, and says, "Wow that was a blast. Goodbye." She turns and walks away, ignoring the stunned looks on their faces.

 _Nice going Riles._


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: lots of drama in this chapter but bear with me please. And you guys are literally the sweetest. Read and review! 3**

Riley walks through the park until she finds a secluded tree to sit under. She pulls out The Chamber of Secrets, rereading the series for the umpteenth time. She forgot how much she absolutely loved sitting in nature. She glances around at the trees. It's autumn and the leaves are just turning orange and red and yellow. Riley can honestly say that fall is her favorite season. She loves sweater weather and hot chocolate and being able to sit outside without needing shade. She loves the colors and the smell. There's no way to describe the way fall smells, but to Riley, it's one of the best scents out there.

All of these thoughts go through her head in a heartbeat but they relax her. She goes back to reading about the troll in the dungeon and reads until nightfall.

When she picks up her stuff to leave the park, she notices a shadow but thinks nothing of it, blaming her paranoia again. While she walks on the path out of the woods, she sees someone under a streetlight walking towards her street. That dirty blond hair would be recognizable anywhere. Lucas.

Just as she notices him, she feels a presence behind her. Suddenly, there is a hand on her hip and another is shoving a cloth into her mouth. She tries to scream but it's muffled. The hand glides up her side and is just below her chest when she tried to claw at her attacker.

"Would you stop that?!" she hears as the hand holding the cloth pulls away from her mouth. As soon as it's gone, she screams at the top of her lungs, hoping someone would help her. The man immediately replaced the cloth. It's probably no use. Lucas is probably gone already and she's all alone. Just like always.

Why didn't she accept their offer? Why didn't she leave sooner? Why is she so weak? Riley feels completely helpless as she shuts down. When the hand reaches higher, she doesn't do anything. Unlike most girls that would freak out, she does absolutely nothing. She hangs limp, giving up. That's when she hears footsteps running towards her.

"Riley?!" That voice could only belong to one person.

 _Thank god for Lucas Friar._

She feels herself be released and she falls to the ground. When she realizes that he's gone and she is safe, she finally cracks. Her stony facade breaks and she is sobbing uncontrollably, forgetting Lucas is there. He kneels down next to her and tries to touch her side and she flinches.

When she finally calms down a little, she lets Lucas help her stand and try to walk her home. When she almost falls for the fourth time, he sweeps her legs out from under her and picks her up bridal style. All she can do is curl into his chest helplessly.

 _Why is it always me?_


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: You guys are great. I'm not really positive where I want to go with this story so if you have suggestions, PM me. Please read and review! 3**

Riley feels herself being carried. She doesn't really know, or care, where until she feels Lucas stop after climbing a few steps. He rings a doorbell. After a hazy moment of confusion, she realizes it sounds really familiar. Then, she hears the door open and a voice says, "Riley?" She recognizes it as her dad. "Please bring her to her room."

Riley feels Lucas set her down on her bed. "Riley, honey, are you okay?" Riley nods faintly to her dad's question. She curls onto her side, with her back towards them. She just wants to shut everything out for now. Or forever. But she doubts her dad will let her do that.

She hears him mutter, "Not again," and she tries not to flinch. She curls up tighter.

"Again?" Lucas asks, trying to whisper.

"I can't tell you. She will if she is ever ready. For now, we are going to go out to the living room and you are going to tell me what happened." Riley hears them leave the room and she lets out a tear before falling asleep.

•••••••••

Riley wakes up a few hours later at three in the morning. She gets up and changes out of her jeans and into pajama pants and a t-shirt. She heads down to the kitchen to get something to eat, seeing as she didn't eat yesterday. She finds leftover spaghetti and eats it cold, not even bothering to heat it up.

Completely numb, she wanders around the house. She finally decides to sit out on her porch on the front step, staring at the street and thinking about nothing and everything.

She is thinking about her homework she has to do tomorrow. She tries to ignore all of the old memories going through her head. She thinks about Frozen to try to get rid of them. That doesn't work. So she curls over her knees and stares at nothing and ignores everything.

 _What did I do to deserve this?_

She never lied before her life started falling apart. Even now, the only lie she has ever told is "I'm fine." She never stole. She never cheated. So what did she do wrong?

Riley looks up at the sounds of approaching footsteps, internally panicking, but showing no emotion. She has practically given up. She looks numbly at the figure, realizing it's Lucas.

 _Why is he up?_

He wanders over and sits down next to her. They sit in silence. Riley suddenly realizes how cold it is and shivers. Without looking at him, she hears Lucas unzip his jacket and put it around her shoulders. She puts her arms into it and pulls it close.

In a very uncharacteristic move for Riley, she leans against his side and puts her head on his shoulder. They don't say anything and they just spend a while like this. Without meaning to, Riley falls asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: All of these reviews are so encouraging, thank you. Please read and review! 3**

It's Sunday morning. Riley wakes up in her bed with the curtains open and her comforter on. She sits up and stretches, noticing a hoodie that she doesn't remember owning. Then last night comes back to her. The last thing she remembers is leaning on Lucas. He must have carried her inside. She should take his hoodie back today and thank him.

She gets up and goes to the bathroom but then lays back down and picks up her book. Thanking him can wait until her parents are gone.

About two hours and seven chapters later, she hears the car leave the driveway and checks to make sure that both of her parents went. After concluding she hears nothing downstairs, she changes into jeans and a Black Sabbath shirt, putting the hoodie on. She then braids her hair to the side and finds a pair of converse. After the mess of eyeliner she had to clean up this morning, she foregoes it all together.

She walks out the door and is thankful for Lucas's hoodie. It's almost 50°. She walks down the sidewalk to his house, or the house she assumes is his, considering that's where they played basketball the day before. She looks up at the house when she reaches the mailbox and sees Lucas holding a basketball and watching her. She walks up to him and is careful to hide all emotion. For some reason, this boy seems to bring out the real Riley and she doesn't know if that's good yet.

"I just wanted to say thank you for everything last night and I assume you put me to bed." She begins to take off the jacket, saying, "Thanks for letting me borrow this."

When she finishes he reaches out and touches her arm, causing her to tense up a bit, so he releases her. He says, "No, no, you can keep it. Besides, it looks much better on you anyway."

Eyeing him for a second to make sure he isn't kidding, Riley slides the hoodie back on and zips it halfway.

"Thank you Lucas. For everything."

"You called me Lucas."

"What?"

"You've never actually called me my name before." After a seconds hesitation, he says, "I like the way it sounds when you say it."

Riley blushes and looks down. She hasn't been flirted with in a while. If she was, it was always some sleazy weirdo, not your classic, all-American, boy next door. She didn't think she would ever feel these butterflies in her stomach again after the first time.

 _Wait, butterflies?_

Oh no not again.

"Do you want to take a walk or something?" he asks.

"Um... Sure I guess. A walk sounds nice."

They head off down the sidewalk in silence and almost make it to the park before Riley stops in her tracks. She doesn't think she can go back any time soon.

Lucas notices the look of true fear in her eyes and says, "We can go a different way. Just pick a direction."

Riley points to the left and they turn and walk down the sidewalk. "What's this direction?" Riley inquires.

"Town. Is that okay?"

Riley just nods, hoping she doesn't encounter any people.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I know I'm super duper late but my internet sucks so much and everything janked up but here is an update and I have a few more chapters already written. Let me know if you want them all at once or if you want them daily or something.**

"Why do you keep looking at me?" Riley asks after the sixth time she feels his eyes on her face. "Do I have something on my face? Does my hair look weird? What is your problem?"

"No actually it's what you don't have on your face that I've been staring at."

"What?" Riley asks, blinking.

Lucas smiles at her. "You aren't wearing all that eyeliner. I like you better without. You have really pretty eyes."

Riley blushes and looks down to hide it. "Stop that," she mumbles. Apparently, he hears anyway.

"Stop what?" He asks, confused.

"Stop complimenting me. It sounds like flirting and I don't like it." Riley has no idea where that came from but she doesn't take it back.

"I'm not allowed to compliment or flirt? That's not fair. If I don't get to compliment you, you don't get to look at me like that."

Riley looks at him, extremely confused. "Like what? This is how I look at people."

Lucas shakes his head. "No you glare at people. When you look at me and let your guard down a little, you are much more approachable. You also have very pretty eyes, glaring or otherwise."

Riley blushes, completely thrown for a loop with how to respond, so she doesn't. She looks down and keeps walking.

••••••

They wander through town, talking a little about music and books, but nothing deeper. As Riley starts to loosen up, Lucas points out a diner and offers to buy her lunch. She's about to refuse when her stomach growls and he looks at her knowingly. They head in and sit down at a booth across from each other. Lucas orders a cheeseburger with fries and looks at Riley in surprise when she asks for the same thing. She just smirks at him.

"What? Can't handle a girl that can eat more than you?" She challenges a little.

"Maybe I'm just shocked a girl as skinny as you eats burgers."

"Never judge a book by its cover," she responds, popping a fry in her mouth.

They continue their conversation from earlier until Riley gets really quiet. Lucas can tell she is thinking something over and leaves her be. When she looks up at him, she looks a little troubled.

"Lucas, why were you in the park last night?" Riley doesn't know why this question pops into her head, but she realizes there is no reason for him to have been there.

He looks down sheepishly before looking back at her and saying, "I was actually looking for you. I had been outside until dark pretty much and you hadn't walked back by so I got a little concerned and decided to see if you were in the park. I was about to head back home when I heard you scream."

At this, Riley pales. If someone like Lucas hadn't cared, even though she had given him no reason to, she could've been dead in a ditch by now. She looks back up at him and whispers, "Thank you."

"Riley, you already thanked me. I'm just glad I was there," he said sincerely.

"That's what I don't get though. Why were you there? What made you worry about me. I have been in no way friendly to you since day one, yet you cared enough to look for me. I don't understand."

"I can't tell you why I care. But I do. No one deserves to have anything like that happen to them. Not even someone who pretends not to care when they care too much." Riley's eyes widen when he says this. He sees right through her. It's kind of unsettling.

She smiles a little at him and continues eating.


	10. Chapter 10

When they finish eating, they leave and wander back through the city, heading towards their street. Neither says anything as it begins to sprinkle, just enjoying the peacefulness of each other's company. Both simply get lost in their own thoughts. Suddenly, Lucas stops under an oak tree and looks at Riley. She still walks a few steps before noticing he is no longer beside her and turns and walks back to him. She looks at him questioningly, silently asking why he stopped.

"Can I ask you a question? You in no way have to answer it, I just can't stop thinking about it." Riley nods, motioning for him to ask away. "What did your dad mean when he said 'not again'? You don't have to answer, it's just... has something like that happened before?"

Riley looks at him sadly and he has his answer. She looks at the ground and he can hear her sniffle, and he doesn't believe it's from the cold. He reaches forward and hugs her, taking her completely by surprise. The only person to hug her in the last three years was her little brother, Auggie. After the incident, she began to flinch when someone touched her, so she is shocked with how comfortable she feels with Lucas. She slowly settles into the embrace, her arms between their chests and her head under his chin.

Riley steps back and looks away, wiping away a stray tear. "I'm sorry. You don't have to comfort me. I doubt you want to hear my sob story."

"Riley, I don't think that's a sob story. I think you need to tell someone about it before it overwhelms you." He looks at her sincerely and she almost tells him. "Riley, please tell me."

She finally cracks. "I'll tell you tonight if you come to the bay window in my room after ten. If I'm telling you, I want to be able to kick you out if it gets to be too much."

"Deal." They head their separate ways towards their respective houses. Riley walks upstairs to her room, glancing at her clock before grabbing her book to read. Three hours until she tells her deepest secrets to a boy she hardly knows. For some reason though, she feels like she can trust Lucas. She doesn't know what it is about him, but there is something warm that draws her in and makes her open up. She doesn't know whether that should make her happy or scare her. She reads a few chapters before looking up again. 8:00. Two more hours.

 _Am I ready for this?_


	11. Chapter 11

10:02. Riley sits in her bed, trying to contain her breathing. She's about to tell someone she barely knows something that is so personal to her it made her shut everyone out. She can do this. She takes a deep breath.

 _Where is he?_

Right when she thinks this, she hears a tap on her window and looks over to see Lucas standing outside. She gets up and opens it for him, watching him crawl in. She turns around and walks slowly to her bed, steeling herself for what she is about to do. She sits down and pulls her knees up to her chest curling over them. Without any prompting from Lucas, she begins speaking.

"I was a freshman in high school and at the time, you wouldn't even recognize me. I wore skirts and colors and floral. I never wore make up. I was always happy and twirling around everywhere. I don't even know where that girl is anymore, or if she even exists.

"I was always insecure, though I hid it well. I never was as pretty as my best friend, or as funny. Anyway, one day, this senior boy named Tyler came up to me at my locker and started talking to me. Me being my naive little self, I was so excited that a cute senior wanted to talk to me, some awkward, geeky freshman. The captain of the football team, he could have anyone he wanted, and he picked me.

"After a while, he asked me out and we started dating. I went to his football games and we went on a few dates. One night after a football game, there was this party and he asked me if I wanted to go. I wasn't really feeling up to it, but I knew he wanted to so I went with him. Realize this was my first high school party and I thought all those stories they told us in middle school were lies to scare us out of having any fun. How bad could it be, right?

"We got there and I was just hit with the warmth and the smell. Alcohol smells gross, did you know that? It just hit me in the nose and I thought I would be sick. But I still stayed. Oh I wish I hadn't stayed." Riley closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This is where it got bad.

"He went and got me a drink. Even at this party, I was still a good girl, refusing to break the rules. I pretended to drink it, dumping a little any chance I got. Tyler kept drinking more and more and started to get a little drunk. I eventually just walked him outside and started to walk him home. It was late and there was no one else around in the street and he started to get a little more touchy. I had never even kissed a boy and he was suddenly trying to grope me. I tried to shove him off but I'm a very weak individual and he was a football jock, obviously he was stronger than me.

"He had moved out of his parents house right after he turned eighteen but I had never been to his apartment because my parents wouldn't let me. I finally got him to stop touching me and I walked him back to his apartment. I laid him on the couch and turned around to leave, thinking he had passed out but he reached out and grabbed me. He... He tried to..." Riley can't finish as her lower lip starts quivering. Lucas puts a comforting arm around her and she takes a cleansing breath, trying again.

"He tried to rape me. Luckily for me, I managed to run away and lock myself in the bathroom, sneaking out in the morning. Only problem was that i was covered in bruises. When I got home through my window, I jumped in the shower and tried to wash the feeling of him off of me, but I couldn't. I basically fell into a depression and my parents started asking questions when I stopped eating. I finally gave in and told them, though I didn't tell them it was Tyler. I didn't want him getting in trouble for something he wasn't in control of. After that, I stopped being so happy and colorful. This made Tyler break up with me, saying I'd changed. I knew he didn't remember what he did, but it still hurt.

"My dad said not again because, yes, it happened before and he had seen the bruises. He knew what I did last time it happened and I think I scared the living daylights a out of him when you showed up carrying me." Riley finally looks up at Lucas to see has reaction, having stared at the floor to tell the whole story. She expects to see pity and perhaps disgust at her. Who would want damaged goods? But that isn't the expression she sees. She sees what she can only describe as a rage. A jolt of terror runs through her and it must show on her face because he immediately softens. He pulls her in for a hug and she realizes she hasn't felt this light in forever.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: so you guys seemed to really want all at once so here you go.**

Somehow, they end up laying back on her bed, Riley cuddled into Lucas's side. They lay there without speaking, Lucas rubbing her back and at some point they fall asleep.

Riley wakes up and it take her a minute to realize why she is so warm. She looks over Lucas at her alarm clock. 4:03. She slowly sits up and looks down at Lucas. He looks adorable. She tries so hard not to stare at the part of his stomach showing between his jeans and the hem of his shirt, completely failing. She glances at his face before standing. Making sure he is indeed asleep, she tiptoes to her drawers and pulls out pajamas, which are a gray t-shirt and a pair of leggings. She faces away from the bed, putting on the leggings first, being as quiet as possible. Then she takes of the hoodie and the t-shirt she was wearing, along with her bra because she hates sleeping in a bra. She puts on the t-shirt and turns around to see Lucas looking at the ceiling, blushing. Realizing he must've woken up and seen her changing, Riley blushes too. She crosses her arms over her chest and looks at the floor. Finally, Lucas clears his throat and when she looks at him, he is holding up the comforter, inviting her to come lay down again. She sits beside him, not ready to lay down and sleep just yet.

They sit there, not saying a word, staring into each other's eyes. Lucas seems to be thinking and glances at her lips, nearly imperceptible had she not been looking into his eyes. Finally breaking the silence, Lucas asks, "Have you still not had your first kiss?" Riley blushes and looks down, shaking her head. Lucas puts a finger to her chin, forcing her to look at him again. He looks into her eyes, asking. Asking if it was okay. Asking if it was what she wanted. Giving her all of the power. Her only response is to close her eyes. She feels him get closer and he brushes his lips against hers. His lips are soft and warm and Riley melts into the kiss, leaning closer.

It isn't a particularly long or passionate kiss, but Riley believes it couldn't have been better. It was almost unbearably sweet and she wished she could have savored it longer.

They pull apart and Riley looks up at him. She has never felt more safe than right now, with Lucas. They lay down without a word, Riley snuggling back into his side. They both fall asleep immediately.


	13. Chapter 13

**To littlebitnerdy, no that wasn't the end, it's still going, though I don't quite know where yet. OKAY I KNOW IM LITERALLY THE WORST EVER AND IM SORRY I TOOK SO LONG I JUST LOST INSPIRATION BUT ITS BACK I PROMISE I WILL FINISH THIS**

Riley wakes up before Lucas, seeing it is 8:17on her alarm clock. Thank god it's a holiday and they don't have to go to class.

She thinks over last night. Her first kiss! But she doesn't girl out about it. Nope, not at all. She is completely chill. Letting out a sigh as the only sign of her inner bliss, she snuggles back into Lucas' side and falls back to sleep.

••••••

She wakes up an hour later when she feels Lucas sit up. She sits up next to him, stretching and smiling at him, trying not to let it take over her face. When she remembers how awful she usually looks in the mornings, she lays back down, pulling the covers with her, hiding her face and bedhead.

She can feel him shift over her and look down at her. When he tries to tug on the comforter, she grips it until her knuckles turn white. She knows he would win in a battle of strength but she hopes that her struggle makes him give up. It doesn't.

"Why are you hiding? Is it about last night?"

At this, Riley stills. Last night? Does he regret kissing her? Does he think _she_ regrets it?

"Last night? Why would this be about last night?" She asks, not removing the covers from her head.

"I just thought- I mean... I was worried you were upset that we, you know, kissed."

Riley blushes and assumes he does too, considering how flustered he sounds.

"No that was... The perfect first kiss." Riley tries to stop herself from sounding like a teenage girl and contains her dreamy sigh. "Thank you, by the way. It's kind of nice to have it over with and done. Not that I was just using you to get it over with! I just... I... um... you should-you should talk now."

"I'll only talk if you come out from under your blanket," he responds, hoping to finally see her.

"If I do you have to turn away so I can't at least salvage my braid." She can deal with him seeing her awkward blurry eyes but the mess she calls hair is not something she feels he should witness... yet. She immediately shuts that thought down.

"Fine, but I don't understand why you care. You could be in a burlap sack with your hair in every direction and you'd look gorgeous." Riley has never blushed so much in ten minutes.

"That's extremely untrue. Now turn around. Did you turn around?"

"Yes, Riley." She finally removes the blanket and starts quickly rebraiding her hair. She is hardly halfway done when he turns back around.

"Lucas! Turn around."

"No your wall is not nearly as fascinating as you." She finishes the braid and secures it, glaring at him. "See, I've never seen you more beautiful than right now, minus the glare of course."

Riley was going to push this away but there's something in his eyes that makes her realize he truly believes that. She looks down at her hands in her lap, eyebrows furrowed, trying to figure out this enigma sitting on her bed. Why would he think she was pretty like this, plain as can be with no make up and awful hair. It doesn't make sense. This is the weirdest boy she's ever met.


	14. Chapter 14

When they finally get up, Riley grabs some black jeggings and a gray sweater, heading to the bathroom to change. Her parents are out this morning so she doesn't worry about them asking questions. She puts on the outfit and brushes her hair and putting it in a reasonable braid. Before heading back to her room, she brushes her teeth and washes her face. Just because Lucas is here doesn't mean she can't do her regular morning routine.

She heads back to her room and doesn't immediately see Lucas. She looks to the side and sees he's standing at her desk. She doesn't know what he's doing until she sees him looking at a picture. It's what Riley looked like three years ago, before everything happened. She's in a bright blue shirt with a necklace and her hair is down, with not a hint of make up on. But she knows that's not why he's staring.

He's staring because she's actually smiling a real, genuinely happy smile. Her eyes are lighting up with joy and she's showing most of her teeth her grin is so broad.

Riley looks at the picture almost sadly before turning away.

Lucas continues to stare at the picture and thinks, _If I can get her to smile like that again, my life will be complete._

He turns back to Riley and looks her up and down and can't help but notice how gorgeous she looks in just a sweater and pants, without a speck of make up on. He realizes he's staring and looks around her room, trying not to make her uncomfortable.

"So… do you want to do something today? We can go wander town again or maybe just hang out and watch a movie." He tries to suggest some ideas, not wanting to leave her yet.

"Uh, yeah, sure. Let's wander, I'm not really much for movies."

Riley pads over to her closet and pulls out a pair of black off-brand Uggs and slips them on.

"Can we stop at my house so I can change and stuff?" Lucas asks.

"Oh, okay, I'll just wait here..."

"No, you can come with me, that way I don't have to come back here to get you, we can just go from there."

Riley just nods, reaching for her purse and putting her phone in it. She looks back up to Lucas and turns to walk out of her room, towards the door. They walk towards his house in silence, Riley internally freaking out over going to his house and Lucas leaving her to her thoughts.


	15. Chapter 15

Riley follows Lucas inside and looks around.

 _This feels so much more like a home than mine._

There are family photos on the wall, shoes scattered by the door, and a dog pillow next to a food dish near the door that must lead to the kitchen. It feels like someone lives here, unlike her house, where her parents are rarely ever home.

She follows him upstairs into his room. She's surprised for a moment at how tidy everything is. He is a teenage boy, right? She wanders over and sits on the bed while he rummages through his closet, finally grabbing a shirt and a pair of jeans. He turns and walks out of the room, presumably to change. Riley glances around and notices a picture on his desk. It's of him, Maya, and that other kid... Genuine smile boy. It looks a few years old, given how much closer to the same height the boys seem compared with the height difference now. They still look pretty much the same, maybe a little shorter, a little rounder.

The biggest change is genuine smile. In the picture, his hair is floppy and he's wearing an orange turtle neck. It's kinda cute. She doesn't hear Lucas come up behind me so when he says, "Oh, the good old days," She jumps and falls back into his chest. He laughs, catching her. She blushes and continues to look at the picture.

"What's his name?" She asks, pointing at the boy, realizing she still hasn't learned his name.

"Oh that's Farkle."

"Farkle? How unfortunate."

"But he's a great friend so we've learned to live with it," he says, laughing.

"Ready to go?" he asks. She nods and turns back to him after one final glance at the young trio.

"As I'll ever be," she says, letting him lead the way out of the house.


End file.
